Our Platform

Proposed Charter for the formation of the Party of the working class in Iran

Preface

Capitalist domination over human society as well as globalization of capital and the concentration and control of the means of production by imperialist groups, precipitates human society towards class based polarisation. On the one hand, the competition between competing groups in world capitalism means that the wealth produced by the working class and other layers and classes generating wealth, are concentrated in few hands, on the other hand capital’s need for increased accumulation and domination of human society (a prerequisite for its continued existence) compels it to push billions towards poverty, hunger and annihilation. Inevitably such conditions compels larger sections of the working class to resist and fight this order and in order to keep control and maintain its domination, international capitalism (imperialism) has no alternative , but to rely openly on regional capitalist states and their organs of repression. World capitalism (imperialism) attempts to do this at a time when the international working class is facing dispersion and lacks consciousness as a consequence of the defeats of treacherous organisations and parties in the last century (twentieth century) following the victories of the latter part of the 19th century and the victory of the Russian Revolution in October 1917. Now that the struggle against capitalism has reached a new stage, the necessity for the formation of working class parties based on Marxist concepts of class struggle, in order to lead the revolutionary movement, is felt more than ever before. Throughout the world, revolutionary communists have a duty to form vanguard parties in the areas they live, to achieve class independence of the working class in line with revolutionary goals both in tactics and in strategy. This would be a prerequisite necessary for the creation of a united international body capable of overthrowing the global capitalist order (imperialism).

1- Mode of Production and goals

A-Capitalism is the dominant mode of production throughout the world, the two antagonist classes confronting each other are the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.

B- The bourgeoisie wants to maintain the capitalist system and existing social and economic relations as they serve the interests of this class. This implies keeping the current relations of production, exploitation of human beings s and destruction of nature by a very small section of the population. This will only lead to the impoverishment of the majority of the population, persistence and expansion of unjust relationships and destruction of the environment.

C-The bourgeoisie keeps this mode and existing relations of production by imposing the dictatorship of its class over the proletariat through capitalist regimes and in some cases, through coalitions with other reactionary classes worldwide. Since this mode of production is based on the contradiction of social production on one hand, and private ownership and control over the means, process and distribution of productions on the other hand, it will ultimately result in its collapse and downfall. The International Proletariat has no choice but to struggle for the overthrow of these regimes, aiming to replace them with the only form the dictatorship of the proletariat can take, namely, the establishment of the direct rule of peoples’ councils’ (Soviets). If this attempt fails human society will fall back into barbarism.

D. After The land Reform, during the rule of the Shah of Iran, the collapsing feudal system was replaced with capitalist mode of production. However as its development had been prevented by imperialist forces in the preceding century and because society was ready for this transition, capitalist production in Iran developed rapidly.
Both for natural process of capitalism development and in particular within concrete conditions that are founded for providing imperialist interest and goals of international capital, The process of capitalist development has not followed a classical model due to imperialist interests and the intervention of international capital which resulted in uneven development. Iran has been dominated by both of these forces which have ensured that Iran relies heavily on a single product, (Petroleum) alongside financial trading. The Iraq/Iran war and the sanctions regime spurred on the development of industry by the bourgeoisie.

E. The main antagonistic social classes at the present are the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.

F. The final goal of the Iranian working class, along with the working class of the world is the overthrow of bourgeois states around the world. This is a necessary prelude to a global socialist revolution. The aim is not only to destroy capitalism but to destroy all class systems and to build a communist, which is a society without classes and exploitation.

2 –Strategy

The global conditions for capitalism and attempts by native capitalists to merge more thoroughly into the world economic mainstream, through neo liberal policies, privatisation and opening up large areas of production to foreign capital has resulted in poverty, unemployment and bankruptcy on an ever increasing scale. The current conditions facing the working class have been caused by the severe financial and social crisis which is forcing struggles to escalate, creating the conditions for revolutionary upheaval.

A. The working class of Iran does not hesitate in during such conditions but welcomes the opportunity to overthrow and annihilate the bourgeois ruling machine and establish a proletarian dictatorship through direct democracy and Peoples’ Assemblies (Soviets). Peoples’ Assemblies are the only form of state in class society that can take away the political and legal privileges of the bourgeoisie and act as a key change to end relations in society which are based on prejudice to sex, class, nationality and religion.

B. The communists reject all liberal and revisionist line of socialism which tries to maintain pyramidal and parliamentarian bourgeois power through using deceptive terms. Terms such as “Democratic Republic”, “People’s Democratic Republic” or “New Democratic Republic” even under the name of socialism as opposed to the direct rule of the people through Peoples’ Assemblies. They try to equate “bourgeois representation” or “party dictatorship” with proletarian class dictatorship. The communists believe that the only form of state through which the proletariat can use to establish its class dictatorship are the Peoples’ Assemblies following from the model of the Paris Commune (1871) that solely relies on the volunteer military forces of the people against any standing army.

C. Communists also reject any opportunistic standpoints that call for the vague strategy of establishing a “Workers State” without any definition for it, through which they leave the door open for revisionist and non-communist interpretations.

D. Communists reject anarchistic interpretations that deny the necessity of forming a working class party to lead and guide revolutionary struggles of the working class. It is a necessity of the working class to be armed with such an organisation that assembles the most conscious strata of the working class and communists revolutionaries to be able to get to the point of establishing a classless communist society.

3 – Tactics

The peculiar conditions of capitalist development in Iran and consequently the totalitarian state has caused parts of the capitalist class, namely the industrial bourgeoisie and petty bourgeoisie to be kept away from centres of political power and wealth. For this reason they wish to change the current ruling hierarchy with a more liberal balance of power in order to prevent the downfall of the bourgeois state. This radical liberal bourgeoisie which represents the strata that have been kept away from political and economic power is more afraid of mass struggles and a workers revolution than the totalitarian bourgeois state. However, since they possess no instruments of state power they have resorted to using the power of the mass struggles and the revolutionary proletariat to compete with the ruling circle. In order to use this power to achieve its goals they have put on a “revolutionary” mask and strip the proletarian slogans of its revolutionary content. Replacing them with the liberal and compromising element in order to divert revolutionary struggles to their own controlled channels and domains. Using this powerful strength as a leverage to gain more compromises from the ruling sectors and get a bigger chunk of workers exploitation and the people’s resources. Thus:

i. The current tactic of the proletariat in Iran is to expose and reject any compromising policies of the reformist bourgeoisie, that divert popular potential revolutionary organisation and institutions from communist working class strategy towards the goals and interest of the bourgeoisie.

ii. This tactic can be carried out through propagation and cultivation of scientific socialism and the short and long term goal of the revolutionary proletariat. Through organising class struggles of the proletariat and social movements by the communists and forming communist cells all over Iranian society; in workplaces and communities to build the working class party leadership over all social movements, and directing them to fulfil strategic goals and slogans and the final goal of the revolutionary proletarian movement.

iii. Also Iranian communists reject all petty bourgeois understandings of revolution that believes a group of vanguard “representative” of the working class can directly and without relying on the conscience, strategic and organised struggle of the working class reach the strategic final goals of the working class revolution.

iv. The communists, while insisting on inevitable usage of antagonistic armed methods by the working class to break down bourgeois resistance draw line against any illusion about armed guerrilla or terrorist struggle that are put forward under the banner of “breaking the totalitarian dictatorship” or “agitation of the masses”. Communists do not participate or endorse such actions. The arming of the masses and organising them on a volunteer armed organisation is to be done under the direct leadership of the Peoples’ Assemblies (Soviets)

4 – Organizational Steps

A task of the working class party and active workers is participation in popular and in particular proletarian organisations and institutions for propagation and cultivation of scientific socialism and execution of tactic and strategic goals through forming communist committees and nucleuses in workplaces and communities. With organising and leadership of mass organisation use any opportunity to strike the ruling machine and the capitalist system.

A. Communist nucleuses and committees are the most basic party grouping and their goals are the same goals mentioned in parts 1, 2 and 3 of this charter.

B. These nucleuses activities must apply the party programme through participation in institutions, assemblies, public gatherings, syndicates, unions, councils and any sort of organisation through which the masses gather to make connection for their every day social struggles in order to lead their struggle towards the goals and interests of the revolutionary proletariat.

C. The working class of Iran does not need the communists in order to lead them in the struggle for their basic economic goals. The goal and purpose of the participation of the communists in such gatherings and struggles is developing and educating the workers in organising and preparation of the class for the overthrow of the capitalist political system. And its replacement with the dictatorship of the proletariat through the establishment of the state of Peoples’ Assemblies (Soviets). Here the communists must reject various reformist, revisionist and opportunist tendencies that try to limit the level of workers struggle in economical level, and its political struggles in reformist formats. Communists must also reject their compromising theories which, due to excuses such as, “lack of working class readiness” or “unpreparedness of the society’s foundation” are trying to reduce its class goals to an acceptable level to the bourgeoisie. These lines should be exposed to isolation within the ranks of the proletariat and revolutionary communists.

D. Communists always respect the internal democracy of the workers mass organisations as long as these groups are not bonded in any form and manner to the capitalist state machinery. In such organisations they achieve the party leadership, through education and organisation of the revolutionary elements, through the propagation of the Party Charter and education of scientific socialism, and by attracting the majority of votes from the members of such groups.

E. Through the active participation of member of the communist nucleuses and committees in every day struggles of the workers and other oppressed and exploited layers of society the leadership of the working class party is provided and guaranteed.

F. Some of the demands of workers and other layers and social classes that are exploited and oppressed that can be used in organisational works are, but not limited to, as followed:
-Freedom for workers political and syndicated assembles and for instance party activities, forming unions, syndicates and assembles and their participation in syndicated decision making. Also, planning and execution of programmes for political, social and economic changes within the workplaces and communities.
– The right to strike and freedom for political and union protests
– Democratic rights of social freedom, freedom of expression and freedom of the press etc.
– Equality in economics, political and social rights of women and men and proscription of children working.
– Paid vocation for working women during their pregnancy and the establishment of free child care at their workplace
– Free education until high education and proficiency. General freedom of learning in native languages.

– Appointing a minimum retirement age and supplying a lifelong income for the retired that is not less than the last level of their occupation when they were employed.
– Free Health care, including hospital expenses, treatment and medicines
– Revoking inheritance laws
– Revoking Tax regulations
– Revoke laws that discriminate on the basis of sexuality, nationality and religion
– Freedom in practicing ideological and religious ceremonies of all faiths, religions and beliefs
– Similar divorce rights for women
– Childcare to be based upon better living and that is beneficial to both children and parents
– Etc…..

At the end, we look forward to any suggestions or critique of this Charter for sake of the Unity of the Revolutionary Communists and the Working Class of the World.